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Summer in Vermont
Welcome to the
ACS Green Mountain Local Section Home Page. We are
located in beautiful
Vermont and are one of the 189 Local Sections of the American Chemical
Society. ACS Local Sections promote public awareness of chemistry by
being involved in community outreach programs and by working with
students of chemistry and science. Our meetings and dinners provide a
opportunity to network and socialize with other Vermont chemists, and
to hear some excellent speakers. If you are a chemistry professional or
educator, or a student studying chemistry, please consider joining us
at our next event.
Sincerely,
Fiona Case
Local
Section April Meeting
Westminster Crackers Plant Tour
Westminter Crackers was established in 1828, today as then, they " bake old-fashioned New England quality into each and every cracker". Our tour was lead by John O'Neil, one of the chemists who support and maintain quality at this historic, yet modern, production facility.
2009 Vermont Math and Science Fair
First Place ($100 award) - Brian Ribbans
Mount Saint Joseph Academy (12th Grade), teacher Timothy J. McCue
Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Meghan Lavoie,
Mater Christi School, teacher Michelle Donlon
Outreach: Chemistry at the VT Achievement Center (VAC)
Results from the 2007 Math and Science Fair
Results from the 2008 Math and Science Fair
Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities
Chemistry on local TV: download a movie file with Jeff Beyers recent WCAX appearance talking about the chemistry of chocolate!
Results of our Earth Day Chemistry Haiku Contest are here
Be a Voice for Chemistry - join our Government Affairs Committee
Report from 2005 - photos and descriptions of all our 2005 activities
Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities
Chair..................................... Fiona Case (Fiona's Website)
Chair Elect...............................................Michele Johnson
Secretary................................................Jody Chamberlain
Treasurer...................................................... Beth Medeiros
Councilor..................... Willem Leenstra (Willem's Website)
Alternate Councilor.............. Martin Case (Martin's Website)
Awards....................................................................... Michele Johnson
PR/Web Master................................................................... Fiona Case
Government Affairs Committee.......................................Sarah Locknar
Newsletter Editor........................................................ Willem Leenstra
Fiona Case
Westminster Crackers Plant Tour
Thursday
April 16th
Westminter Crackers was established in 1828, today as then, they " bake old-fashioned New England quality into each and every cracker". Our tour was lead by John O'Neil, one of the chemists who support and maintain quality at this historic, yet modern, production facility.
2009 Vermont Math and Science Fair
The
2008 Vermont Math and Science Fair as held at Norwich University on
April 5th. Several
ACS Green Mountain LS members served as judges for the event. Fiona,
Martin and Willem were judges for the ACS Green
Mountain Local Section awards for chemistry projects.
First Place ($100 award) - Brian Ribbans
Mount Saint Joseph Academy (12th Grade), teacher Timothy J. McCue
Abstract:
Biodiesel
made from waste vegetable oil can be a viable alternative to
petroleumbased
fuel. It is possible that biodiesel will be one of the many solutions for sustainable alternative fuels. This experiment examines the results of varying the conditions during the transesterification process used to make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Transesterification is the process of breaking down esters, fat molecules, using alcohol and a catalyst producing a refined ester,biodiesel, and glycerin as a by-product. For this experiment varying amounts of methanol, the alcohol, sodium hydroxide, the catalyst, and temperature will test the results of the process. To produce high quality biodiesel the results of the transesterification process requires additional processing to remove impurities, mainly glycerin, suspended in the oil. Mixing water with the oil does this. The glycerin and impurities will dissolve in the water and separate from the oil. A dry washing method is also possible. Magnesol is used by adding it in with the processed oil to absorb the impurities and filtering the magnesol with the impurities out. The completed oil is also tested for completion, the absence of impurities and pH. Altering the process will have dramatic affect on the result of the reaction and ultimately the quality of the biodiesel. The affects of varying the amount of lye, methanol and heat in the reaction will be apparent by the outcome of the biodiesel with a pH that is too high, an incomplete reaction and/or biodiesel with too many impurities. After testing, it was concluded that not using enough methanol, using too much or too little catalyst, and using a temperature that is too high or too low will produce poor quality and unusable biodiesel that is unable to pass one or more of the qualifying tests.
fuel. It is possible that biodiesel will be one of the many solutions for sustainable alternative fuels. This experiment examines the results of varying the conditions during the transesterification process used to make biodiesel from waste vegetable oil. Transesterification is the process of breaking down esters, fat molecules, using alcohol and a catalyst producing a refined ester,biodiesel, and glycerin as a by-product. For this experiment varying amounts of methanol, the alcohol, sodium hydroxide, the catalyst, and temperature will test the results of the process. To produce high quality biodiesel the results of the transesterification process requires additional processing to remove impurities, mainly glycerin, suspended in the oil. Mixing water with the oil does this. The glycerin and impurities will dissolve in the water and separate from the oil. A dry washing method is also possible. Magnesol is used by adding it in with the processed oil to absorb the impurities and filtering the magnesol with the impurities out. The completed oil is also tested for completion, the absence of impurities and pH. Altering the process will have dramatic affect on the result of the reaction and ultimately the quality of the biodiesel. The affects of varying the amount of lye, methanol and heat in the reaction will be apparent by the outcome of the biodiesel with a pH that is too high, an incomplete reaction and/or biodiesel with too many impurities. After testing, it was concluded that not using enough methanol, using too much or too little catalyst, and using a temperature that is too high or too low will produce poor quality and unusable biodiesel that is unable to pass one or more of the qualifying tests.
Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Meghan Lavoie,
Mater Christi School, teacher Michelle Donlon
Abstract:
The
purpose of the science fair project is to determine which fruit
contains the
highest amount of protein-digesting enzymes, bromelain and papain.
These enzymes,
classified as proteolytic, conduct the process of proteolysis in which
protein
catabolism occurs by hydrolysis of the peptide bonds that link amino
acids together in
the polypeptide chain. Alternatively stated, they break protein down using a chemical reaction to split a specific bond that is crucial in linking acids together to create a protein-based chain that is a foundation for matter. After research, it was discovered this process is easily visible in gelatin because if these certain enzymes are incorporated in it, they will prevent it from solidifying. Therefore, the setting of gelatin was made the sole determiner of the enzyme levels in eight different fruits. A hypothesis was made based on prior research stating that a high concentration of
bromelain existed throughout all areas of a pineapple: If various types of fruit are tested in gelatin, then pineapple will cause the least amount to solidify; it contains the most enzymes. To begin the experimenting procedure, all materials were gathered and fruits were sliced and weighed out to 56 grams each. Next, the gelatin mixture was prepared according to the instructions on the box, a half cup of liquid was poured into each bowl, and the plain gelatin was refrigerated for an hour before the 56 grams of fruit were stirred into their respective bowls. They were refrigerated for 16 additional hours and observations were taken every four. After the entire procedure was completed twice and results were averaged, it was concluded the hypothesis was correct; pineapple contains the highest amount of protein-digesting enzymes as demonstrated by the least amount of gelatin solidifying, 25 percent, when pineapple
(and its abundant content of proteolytic enzymes) were incorporated.
Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Alex Drost
Windsor High School (10th Grade), Teacher
Jennifer Townsend
Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment was to explore the relationship between various salt concentrations and conductivity, and how conductivity effects the amount of hydrogen and oxygen produced by electrolysis. It was thought that the solutions with higher salt concentrations will have a greater conductivity, allowing them to produce a greater volume of gas during electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of breaking water down into hydrogen and oxygen gas.
This is achieved by the flow of electricity through water. Oxygen forms on the electrode carrying the positive charge because it is the anion in the compound H2O. Hydrogen gas will form on the negative electrode because it is the cation in the compound. Hydrogen and oxygen gas were collected by using a simple electrolysis apparatus. Two electrodes were attached to the positive and negative battery terminals and into a beaker of salt and water solution. The apparatus was run for a set period of time and the gas that was collected in each solution was measured and recorded by volume. The results strongly supported the hypothesis. As the conductivity of the solution increased, more electrons were able to pass through the solution, allowing more water to be split into hydrogen and oxygen gasses.
the polypeptide chain. Alternatively stated, they break protein down using a chemical reaction to split a specific bond that is crucial in linking acids together to create a protein-based chain that is a foundation for matter. After research, it was discovered this process is easily visible in gelatin because if these certain enzymes are incorporated in it, they will prevent it from solidifying. Therefore, the setting of gelatin was made the sole determiner of the enzyme levels in eight different fruits. A hypothesis was made based on prior research stating that a high concentration of
bromelain existed throughout all areas of a pineapple: If various types of fruit are tested in gelatin, then pineapple will cause the least amount to solidify; it contains the most enzymes. To begin the experimenting procedure, all materials were gathered and fruits were sliced and weighed out to 56 grams each. Next, the gelatin mixture was prepared according to the instructions on the box, a half cup of liquid was poured into each bowl, and the plain gelatin was refrigerated for an hour before the 56 grams of fruit were stirred into their respective bowls. They were refrigerated for 16 additional hours and observations were taken every four. After the entire procedure was completed twice and results were averaged, it was concluded the hypothesis was correct; pineapple contains the highest amount of protein-digesting enzymes as demonstrated by the least amount of gelatin solidifying, 25 percent, when pineapple
(and its abundant content of proteolytic enzymes) were incorporated.
Joint Second Place ($50 award) - Alex Drost
Abstract:
The purpose of this experiment was to explore the relationship between various salt concentrations and conductivity, and how conductivity effects the amount of hydrogen and oxygen produced by electrolysis. It was thought that the solutions with higher salt concentrations will have a greater conductivity, allowing them to produce a greater volume of gas during electrolysis. Electrolysis is the process of breaking water down into hydrogen and oxygen gas.
This is achieved by the flow of electricity through water. Oxygen forms on the electrode carrying the positive charge because it is the anion in the compound H2O. Hydrogen gas will form on the negative electrode because it is the cation in the compound. Hydrogen and oxygen gas were collected by using a simple electrolysis apparatus. Two electrodes were attached to the positive and negative battery terminals and into a beaker of salt and water solution. The apparatus was run for a set period of time and the gas that was collected in each solution was measured and recorded by volume. The results strongly supported the hypothesis. As the conductivity of the solution increased, more electrons were able to pass through the solution, allowing more water to be split into hydrogen and oxygen gasses.
Our
section wins a hospitality award
The Green Mountain Local Section received an award recognizing our hospitality to members of the ACS speaker service who visit our local section. Willem Leenstra received the award for the section during the ACS Spring 2008 National Meeting in New Orleans.
The Green Mountain Local Section received an award recognizing our hospitality to members of the ACS speaker service who visit our local section. Willem Leenstra received the award for the section during the ACS Spring 2008 National Meeting in New Orleans.
Outreach: Chemistry at the VT Achievement Center (VAC)
Michele
Johnson Reports: I recently (July 13) visited the VT Achievement Center (VAC) to perform chemistry
demonstrations for the pre-K classroom (which my son Liam is
in). We hope to get these kids interested in science
at a young age. We had fun with polymers: I showed them a disappearing
water trick (with sodium polyacrylate, the absorbent polymer used
in diapers) and we all made "super stretchy slime" (in Omya blue no less)
that they were each able to take home. When
I left, I'm sure that many of the kids thought that "chemistry is
cool"!
cool"!
The
GMLS received a Local Section Innovative Project
Grant to fund a science cart for the early education department at the VT
Achievement Center (VAC)
Results from the 2007 Math and Science Fair
Results from the 2008 Math and Science Fair
Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities
Chemistry on local TV: download a movie file with Jeff Beyers recent WCAX appearance talking about the chemistry of chocolate!
Results of our Earth Day Chemistry Haiku Contest are here
Be a Voice for Chemistry - join our Government Affairs Committee
Report from 2005 - photos and descriptions of all our 2005 activities
Report from 2006 - photos and descriptions of all our 2006 activities
Officers 2007
Chair..................................... Fiona Case (Fiona's Website)
Chair Elect...............................................Michele Johnson
Secretary................................................Jody Chamberlain
Treasurer...................................................... Beth Medeiros
Councilor..................... Willem Leenstra (Willem's Website)
Alternate Councilor.............. Martin Case (Martin's Website)
Committee Chairs
Awards....................................................................... Michele Johnson
PR/Web Master................................................................... Fiona Case
Government Affairs Committee.......................................Sarah Locknar
Newsletter Editor........................................................ Willem Leenstra
Web page last updated March 29, 2009
The views expresssed in these pages are strictly those of the Green Mountain Local Section. The contents have not been reviewed or approved by the American Chemical Society. The Green Mountain Local Section assumes all responsibility and liability for the content of its pages.
If you need more information or would like to submit information, E-mail our Local Section WebMaster
The views expresssed in these pages are strictly those of the Green Mountain Local Section. The contents have not been reviewed or approved by the American Chemical Society. The Green Mountain Local Section assumes all responsibility and liability for the content of its pages.
If you need more information or would like to submit information, E-mail our Local Section WebMaster